Sunday, November 18, 2018

Surat: Air traffic congestion at Surat airport in the last couple of months has prompted Airports Authority of India (AAI) to put infrastructural work on a fast track. With a view to create facility for parking of smaller aircraft like ATRs and Q400, the AAI has issued tender for development of old apron at the airport. The redevelopment of the old apron will create new hanger space for smaller aircraft for parking, loading, unloading and refuelling.

Official sources said the old apron will be up and ready for use by small aircraft in next four months and that expansion of main apron is likely to be completed by November 2020. At present, there are total 58 flight movements per day-29 arrivals and 29 departures-from Surat airport. The airport terminal remains chock-a-block throughout the day due to arrival and departure of passengers. As per AAI data, the total passenger traffic in October crossed 1 lakh mark and that it is expected to further increase to 1.5 lakh passengers per month by February 2019.
The airport is served by Air India, AirAsia, IndiGo, SpiceJet, Air Odisha and Ventura Air Connect. Sources said that the daily flight movements will increase from 29 to 33 by November-end with the launch of four new flights by SpiceJet connecting Surat to Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Varanasi and Goa.
Moreover, AAI has also given contract to Surat-based I-T company for setting up Common Use Terminal Equipment (CUTE) system to allow passengers to get their boarding passes from any counter regardless of the airline they chose to fly. At present, passengers have to stand in queues at the respective counters of their airlines to get their boarding passes. With CUTE system, passengers will get a smooth passage through the check-in points.
18/11/18 Times of India